Superman (Kal-L)
:You may be looking for The Superman (1940s cartoons). :You may be looking for Superman (1988 animated series). :You may be looking for Superman (SuperPowers Figure). :You may be looking for Superman (SuperFriends/JLA Member). Justice Society Team Member The Superman of Earth-Two was the alternate-universe counterpart of the Superman of Earth-One, who was a part time member of the Justice Society of America and the All-Star Squadron. He has been an active superhero since at least the early 1940's. Early in his career, Superman was remarkably ruthless in his pursuit of justice, sometimes clashing with police and even the National Guard. While he was not a killer, he shed few tears when his opponents died at their own hands or from their own misfiring super-weapons. His adversaries were even more ruthless. __TOC__ Background Information In the parallel universe of Earth-Two (Earth-2A in the SuperFriends Universe), Kal-L was born to Jor-L and Lora on Krypton around 1918. Recognizing that Krypton would soon be destroyed by internal pressures, Jor-L tried to develop a spacecraft to carry his family to safety on Earth, but only a small model was complete by the time the end came. Lora chose to stay with her husband, but they rocketed baby Kal-L to life on a new world just moments before Krypton exploded. He landed on Earth and was found by John and Mary Kent. The Kents rescued the boy from the crashed ship, which destroyed itself later. The Kents took young Kal-L to a local orphanage, declaring him an abandoned child. Young Kal-L soon proved too much for the nurses there to handle, and when the Kents returned to adopt the boy, he was gladly released.As revealed in Superman, #1 (summer 1939) and recounted with new details in Secret Origins, #1 (April 1986). They named the boy Clark and took him home to raise on their farm near Smallville.As revealed in Superman, #61 (Nov./Dec. 1949). Clark grew up a bright lad and farm hand to his parents in the 1920s and 1930s, with little suspicion of his fledgling super-powers (unlike his Earth-One counterpart, the original Clark Kent had no costumed career as Superboy). While Clark was still a teenager, he met the time-traveling Earth-One Superboy, who helped him master the use of his Kryptonian powers.As revealed in the New Adventures of Superboy, #15 - #16 (March - April, 1981) The Kents died a few years later and Clark moved to Metropolis, where he managed to secure a job as a reporter with the Daily Star and began his heroic career as Superman. At the Daily Star, he would meet editor George Taylor, copy boy Jimmy Olsen, and "girl reporter" Lois Lane, who would become the love of his life. Early on, Lois had great contempt for Clark, who feigned timidity and even outright cowardice as a way of concealing his true identity, but her feelings for him softened as she began to suspect he was secretly Superman.Taylor and Lane appeared along with Superman in Action Comics, #1 (June 1938). Jimmy Olsen was introduced in Superman, #13 (Nov./Dec. 1941). In 1940, Superman joined a group of other costumed mystery-men in thwarting a Nazi attack on Washington, D.C., and stopped the attempted assassination of President Franklin Roosevelt. Afterwards, Superman suggested the assembled heroes form a permanent alliance called the Justice Society of America.As revealed in DC Special, #29 (September, 1977). Despite this, Superman had only occasional involvement with the group until the late '60s. In December 1941, Superman was among the heroes captured and imprisoned.As revealed in Justice League of America, #193 (August, 1981). As a result, the Man of Steel was unable to intervene when the Japanese attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. However, he and his comrades were soon freed and defeated Degaton and his allies.As revealed in All-Star Squadron, #1–3 (Sept. – Nov. 1981). When freed, Superman and the other heroes then attempted to attack the Japanese fleet only to encounter the mystic "Sphere of Influence" created by the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail, then in the possession of Axis leaders. For the rest of World War II, the Man of Steel and other heroes vulnerable to magical energy were unable to enter Axis-held territory without immediately falling under a mental compulsion to fight for the Axis cause.As revealed in All-Star Squadron, #4 (December, 1981). That limitation would cause great anguish for Superman, who could see the atrocities taking place in Nazi Germany, but was unable to intervene.As revealed in the post-crisis story, Superman, #226 (April, 2006). Superman also served as a charter member of the wartime All-Star Squadron, helping to defend the U.S. from spies, saboteurs, and the Axis metahumans who ventured onto Allied soil. During this time he constructed his remote Secret Citadel (the Earth-One Superman had a Fortress of Solitude)As revealed in Superman, #17 (July, 1942). and had his first encounter with Captain Marvel, who was transported to Earth-Two from his native Earth-S. The Captain had fallen victim to the Sphere of Influence.As revealed in All-Star Squadron, #36-37 (Aug. – Sept. 1984). Later, Superman became friends with mystery-man, Batman and his sidekick Robin, whom he had met several times through the JSA and All-Star Squadron.As revealed in World's Finest Comics, #271 (September, 1981 In the 1970s,By the mid-to-late 1970's, he has a little gray in his hair and is semi-retired. By this time he had also modified his costume slightly, most notably having switched the background color of his chest emblem from black to yellow much like the chest emblem of his Earth-1A counterpart. a spaceship arrived from Krypton, sent by his uncle Zor-L. The ship contained his cousin, Kara Zor-L.As revealed in Showcase, #97 (February, 1978). Superman trained Kara in the use of her abilities and she eventually took on a super-powered identity of her own as Power Girl (thereby becoming the Earth-Two equivalent of Supergirl).As revealed in All-Star Comics, #58 (February, 1976). Superman went into semi-retirement at this point, because but he continued to be active when needed with the Justice Society.As revealed in All-Star Comics, #69 (February, 1976) and #74 (October, 1978). He always had time to contended with his longtime adversary Alexei 'Lex' Luthor.As revealed in DC Comics Presents Annual, #1 (1982). Also during the 70's, Clark married in long-time girlfriend Lois LaneAs revealed in Action Comics #484 (June, 1978) and was promoted from senior reporter to Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Star when George Taylor retired. Kent was promoted to that post over fellow reporter, Perry White.As revealed in Superman Family, #197 (October, 1979). As Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Star, he recovered a diary written by the Batman, implicating the JSA as pawns of Hitler during World War II. He printed the diary's contents in the Daily Star, which resulted in the indictment of the Justice Society. At the resulting public Congressional hearing, the JSAers discovered that Batman had written the diary to direct attention at longtime JSA enemy Per Degaton and his upcoming attempt to conquer time; as a result, the JSA was exonerated.As revealed in America vs. the Justice Society #1-4 (Jan. – April 1985). Continuity from the Superman (1940s cartoons) The adventures Superman encounters in these serials are mainly representative of events early in his career and end shortly into World War II. He was presented as the strong silent type. Early on, Superman mainly battled crooks, mad scientists, mechanical monsters, dinosaurs and natural disasters. Then as the War started, he battled the Japanese, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.This may seem a little incongruent with respect to the comic books. In the late 70’s early 80’s retcon stories, Superman is prevented from entering Axis-held territory without immediately falling under a mental compulsion to fight for the Axis cause. The mystic "Sphere of Influence" created by the Spear of Destiny and Holy Grail, then in the possession of Axis leaders was a barrier he could not overcome. As revealed in All-Star Squadron, #4 (December, 1981). Lois Lane is a real go-getter and will do anything to get a story.Lois Lane was voiced by Joan Alexander, who was another carry-over from the radio show. Perry White (not George Taylor) was the editor of the Daily PlanetThe version of Clark Kent in the comics at the time, worked for the Daily Star and his editor was George Taylor. Perry White was a reporter. As revealed in Superman, #19 (November, 1942). and a young gapped tooth reporter (resembling Jimmy Olson) was Clarks friend. Strengths and Abilities Kryptonian Powers on Earth.]] Kryptonian Physiology: Kal-L's powers were attributed to his Kryptonian physiology, and NOT the radiation of a yellow sun, as all Kryptonians native to this reality did have superpowers in their original red sun system. Hence, Kal-L's powers did not fluctuate under the presence or lack of yellow sun light. This was the primary rationale used for his lower superpower levels to his other dimensional counterparts and his aging. *'Superhuman Strength:' His strength did not compare to his Earth-One counterpart or other other-dimensional Kryptonians. *'Invulnerability' *'Superhuman Stamina' *'Flight' *'Superhuman Speed' *'Super-Breath' *'Super Hearing' *'Enhanced Vision:' **'Heat Vision' **'Super Vision' **'Telescopic Vision' **'X-Ray Vision' **'Microscopic Vision' Weaknesses *'Magic' (Comics only; in cartoon is not mentioned): Kal-L had a higher than normal vulnerability to magical beings and devices. *'Kryptonite (in 1940s cartoon it was not discovered)': Since the destruction of Krypton, its remains (rendered radioactive by the explosion) have been spreading throughout the universe as kryptonite, a crystalline substance whose specific radiation is lethal to Kryptonians native to this reality. In Kal-L's original Earth Two dimension there was only one type of Kryptonite, Green, and its effect is directly poisonous to Earth-Two Kryptonians. The long term effects of other races being in close or direct contact with Earth-Two dimension Kryptonite was unknown. *''Other-Dimensional'' Kryptonians: Kal-L was shown to be far weaker in scope to so called "infinite powered" other dimensional Kryptonians such as Superman (Earth-One), but Kal-L would never retreat from battle with them when he had to despite the large differences in their strength levels to himself. *'Lead' (Comics only; in cartoon is not mentioned): Kal-L could not see through lead with his vision powers. *'Bio Energy' (Comics only; in cartoon is not mentioned): Kal-L's will eventually weaken without rest as his body-generated energies are not inexhaustible. Unlike his other dimensional counterparts, Kal-L was not powered by normal (yellow) sun radiation. Kal-L was not effected by red sunlight and maintained his superpowers in red sun systems unlike the Earth-One and current reality Superman who lose their powers in a red sun system. Gallery Kal-1.jpg|Superman outside the Daily Planet Superman - Earth-Two.jpg|Superman with the Atom.As seen in ''Super Friends (Latin America) #13''. Clark (All-Star-Comics 62).png Superman of Earth-Two Retires.jpg|Superman retires, handing over his duties to his cousin Power Girl.As seen in Showcase # 99 (1978) -- reprinted in Issue # 20 of Super Friends (1980). Justice Society Team Members Appearances Superman (1940s cartoons) Fleischer Studios: #The Mad Scientist #The Mechanical Monsters #Billion Dollar Limited #The Arctic Giant #The Bulleteers #The Magnetic Telescope #Electric Earthquake #Volcano #Terror on the Midway Famous Studios: #Japoteurs #Showdown #Eleventh Hour #Destruction, Inc. #The Mummy Strikes #Jungle Drums #The Underground World #Secret Agent Super Friends Comic Book *Super Friends # 7 (October 1977) references: **''All-Star Comics, #69'' (November, 1977) Notes *The Superman of Earth-Two first appears in Action Comics, Vol. 1 # 1 (June 1938).Go to [http://dc.wikia.com DC Database] for more on [http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Action_Comics_Vol_1_1 Action Comics, Vol. 1 # 1] (June 1938). * He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. * The first appearance of the Golden Age veriosn of the character was first published in Justice League of America, #73 (August 1969) as a way to distinguish him from his Silver Age counterpart. *As a native of Earth-2A, Superman is older than the Superman from Earth-1A. *Bud Collyer provides the voice for the Earth-2A Superman and also for his Earth-1A counterpart in The New Adventures of Superman (1966–1967), The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (1967–1968) and The Batman/Superman Hour (1968–1969). *Unlike the Superman of Earth-1A, the Earth-2A Superman never adopted the identity of Superboy, and it's unclear if Smallville even exists on Earth-2A. *This version of Superman is based on the Superman from Earth-Two. (See Background info) External Links *Kal-L (Earth-Two) at the DC Database *Superman (Earth-Two) at Wikipedia * Superman Through the Ages: Golden-Age Version of Superman and The Earth-2 Superman * Comic Archives JSA Member List: JSA Member, Superman * Cosmic Teams JSA Member List: The Golden Age Superman References Category:Super Friends comic book characters Category:Aliens Category:Characters Category:Natives of Earth-2A Category:Superheroes Category:Earth-2A Category:DC characters Category:Superman supporting characters